The best way to correct my last blog so my subscribers see it for sure is another blog!

I did not realize the link I sent to follow for the neat video requires you to sign up for free membership to watch it. And here I thought I made sure it worked! Oh well, all I can say is, “sign up” cause it is worth it.

After enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving, I guess the holiday season has officially started. I am such a sucker for all things about kindness so I have to share this great video I received this morning. It definitely opened up the window to my heart.

As we go through the end of this year, let’ s all remember to participate in the spirit of giving, whether we are on the receiving end or the giving end. If you own a business, give a little more. If you are the recipient of good service, be grateful. If the service is not the best, be patient; you never really know why that may have happened.

I mentioned a few posts back how much fun I am having researching the history of architectural glass. Actually the history of any glass is very interesting, so I will add some of that as well in future entries.

It really is amazing how plain window glass was so challenging to manufacture. It was actually quite rare until the 19th century, and even then only the very wealthy could afford. That reminds me of the oldest house still standing in the USA, pretty windowless. My dear brother is shown here pretending like he is heading home when we visited Santa Fe last time. Needless to say our Albuquerque, family-owned window cleaning business has never washed any windows there.

Some of the original windows to keep weather out, but light still coming in, were made by the crown glass method, where a big glob of glass is blown and then spun on a table before it cools. This creates a dimple with concentric circles expanding out. The panes could only be smaller in size, and it was very costly. This example is probably somewhere in the 16th century.

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know somethingFor it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitationsBecause they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challengeBecause it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakesThey will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and wearyBecause it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who arealso thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.Find a way to be thankful for your troublesand they can become your blessings.

Author Unknown

Business today is all about Thanksgiving: turkey, pies, cranberry sauce, etc. And, somewhere around that I will be cleaning the house. Glass and window stuff are on the back burner. Please remember to enjoy all that you have and be grateful.

Here is a wonderful slide show set to George Winston playing his piece called THANKSGIVING.

That is certainly what I keep reminding myself anyway. I was a literature major in college, and the book You Can’t Go Home Again, by Thomas Wolfe, often comes to mind, especially since I do not live in the town I grew up in. That novel deals with growing up and learning to depend on yourself. Fortunately, I have never felt like going back home was a problem. I always enjoy returning to the beautiful Pacific Northwest. However, I have to admit, I love having the never-ending blue sky that New Mexico offers, and Portland forgets at times.

It seems like I have not been home forever. I cannot believe it has been 4 years, and that is a record for me. I am definitely looking forward to visiting this coming April.

If you live in Portland, or in the surrounding area, and your main window coverings consist of cobwebs, maybe you should consider a good cleaning over the holiday season. I know just the place if you want your home cleaned perfectly.

Sparkling Palaces is an eco-friendly housecleaning service ready to take pride in making your palace sparkle for sure. Whether you want a one time deep cleaning or an ongoing plan, they are ready to provide you great service.

After you get the cobwebs out of there, check out some Window Wallpaper! Great ideas for the holidays too!

Well, I made it home from my 2000 miles of road trip. For some reason, I was inspired to research the subject of glass while online this past week. That led to a new category: GLASS TRIVIA.

I find it intriguing that manufacturing flat, window glass happened later than other uses of glass over the centuries. More on that later.

This is a fun fashion fact from the Chicago World’s Fair held in 1893. Edward Libbey, one of the first glass manufacturers, wanted to add his works to the many inventions exhibited there. He spent $200,000.00 on a glass furnace. With all the really exciting adventures at the fair, nobody was interested in watching men sweat over the furnace to make glass. His trump card was the technology of spun glass, and the creation of the first dress out of the expensive fabric. A famous Broadway actress, Georgia Cayven, modeled the gown, and a Spanish princess, Infanta Eufalia, soon became it’s biggest promoter.

Libbey insisted these dresses could be comfortable to wear, but he did have to cheat a bit to accomplish that by using some fine silk as well.I did have one thing cleared up for sure; I found some references about Cinderella’s infamous slippers. I always thought it peculiar that she wore “glass slippers.” I am fairly certain they were made with a spun glass fabric. Glass slippers always sounded a bit dangerous to me.

With gift giving for the holidays coming up soon, here is a unique idea for those on your list who are tough to buy for.

These are very likely the most elite squeegees around, and they will accent the most elegant bathroom to use on the inside of the shower, to keep surfaces free of gunk caused by all that moisture. If you don’t want to be that extravagant, there is a cheaper model available too.

Check out CLER’ET for very unusual squeegees and potential holiday shopping ideas!

If you have any windows in your bathroom that offer too much view from the outside in, check out Wallpaper For Windows at For Your Windows. You can have light, privacy and decor all at the same time.

It is hard to believe it is almost Thanksgiving. I am still in Yuma, Arizona, and the temperatures are still hitting 80, so it feels like summer.

I was thinking about architecture this morning as I took my walk in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Here in Yuma, a good portion of the homes face north and south only so that the majority of windows avoid the east and west sun patterns. That reminded me again of the planning that is needed when designing a structure, whether it is for heat or maintenance.

Back in the mid 1800’s, a man named Sir Joseph Paxton, who started as a garden boy and achieved much notoriety later as a landscaper and greenhouse designer, put together, in only 10 days, the plans for an amazing iron and glass structure, The Crystal Palace, to host the The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. The building and the event were both noteworthy, making Great Britain the leader in the industrial revolution for sure. You could call it the first big “HOME SHOW.” There were over 13,000 exhibits, and over 6 million visitors, all displaying the “latest and greatest.” I bet the promoters were pleased with those statistics.

Later, the huge glass structure was used for a variety of events over the years until a fire totally destroyed it in 1936. Almost a million square feet of glass, iron and old wood all gone in a few hours. There were almost 300,000 panes of glass, and I cannot find anywhere, so far, information about how they were kept clean.

That is a lot of naked windows to maintain! Especially since the squeegee was not even invented until the next century.